Covers used on threaded containers are normally securely tightened and are often difficult to remove. This is a particularly perplexing problem for the elderly or for persons lacking normal strength in their hands.
Many devices have been devised to assist in the opening of containers having threaded covers. The prior art in the field includes a myriad of manual devices which provide the user with mechanical leverage type of assistance, as well as power driven openers the use of which are intended to require minimum strength or dexterity.
Each of the following listed United States Patents illustrate manual opening devices. These patents disclose a variety of means for gripping containers and their covers, and are therefore considered pertinent: Look U.S. Pat. No. 635,049; Harwath U.S. Pat. No. 988,780; Escher U.S. Pat. No. 2,389,301; and Lipski U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,573. Power driven openers are disclosed in Patents to Cardinal U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,650 and to Chen U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,029. Review of the prior art power openers shows them to be complex, cumbersome and quite difficult to operate. In each device the container is retained by a gear driven mechanism which must be adjusted to accommodate containers of varying heights. It is also apparent that the means utilized to grip both the container and its cover are neither positive nor versatile. For example, note that the device of Cardinal requires a near perfect fit between its cover gripper and the cover. Note also that the cover and container gripping devices of Chen make only point contacts with the container and the container cover. Further, the container gripping means of Cardinal and Chen depend upon a vertical force which applies an equal force to the threaded areas of the container and the cover. This force actually adds to the rotational effort required to rotate the cover relative to the container.
It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a power driven, light weight, portable opening device for the loosening or tightening of covers of containers having various sizes and shapes, which device overcomes the above mentioned and other prior art deficiencies, and which is easily operable by persons having limited dexterity and strength in their hands.